MLB Player News

Graveman (illness) was scheduled to start Thursday's Cactus League game against the Reds, Greg Johns of MLB.com reports. The game was later cancelled due to inclement weather, per Johns.

While Graveman won't get the chance to pitch until at least Friday, his inclusion on the pitching schedule for Thursday implies that he's moved past the illness that previously resulted in him being scratched last weekend. Graveman is vying for the fifth spot in Seattle's rotation this spring after missing most of the 2019 season while recovering from Tommy John surgery.

The Rays reassigned Covey to their minor-league camp Thursday, Steve Carney of Sports Radio 620 WDAE reports.

Though he made 45 starts at the big-league level over the past three seasons, Covey wasn't a serious rotation candidate for Tampa Bay and was signed this winter merely to provide organizational depth. Assuming he accepts an assignment to Triple-A Durham to begin the season, he'll likely work as a starter or swingman for the affiliate.

Brasier set down the side in order, striking out one, in the fifth inning of Wednesday's spring game against the Rays.

Brasier is on the bubble, competing with several relievers for the final few bullpen spots, but he has thrown this spring like the pitcher that surprised Boston in 2018. He's allowed three hits and one run while striking out four without a walk over five spring innings. "Certainly our goal and his goal is to get back to the guy he was in 2018, because he was very, very good that year and really important," Red Sox pitching coach Dave Bush told Ian Browne of MLB.com. "It's not to discount the year he had last year, but he wasn't quite himself most of the year." He was an important setup piece for the Red Sox in 2018, when they won the World Series, but a toe injury in 2019 led to kinks in his mechanics.

Chavez (elbow) will open the season on the injured list, T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com reports.

Chavez underwent surgery to remove loose bodies from his elbow in September. While he was supposedly at full strength to start camp, he saw action in just one Cactus League game and evidently needs more time.

Flynn was assigned to minor-league camp Wednesday.

Flynn was in camp competing for a bullpen spot as a non-roster invitee but won't be winning one, at least not to start the season. With a career 4.41 ERA and a 16.2 percent strikeout rate, he's unlikely to pitch in a high-leverage role if he does eventually crack the big-league roster.

Mengden (elbow) will play catch Friday as he works his way toward a midseason return, Shayna Rubin of The San Jose Mercury News reports.

Mengden will throw for the first time since undergoing arthroscopic elbow surgery in mid-February. Reports at the time said he'd be back in 6-to-10 weeks, though manager Bob Melvin's midseason timeline, while somewhat ambiguous, suggests that may be a little optimistic. A more precise timeline should emerge once Mengden begins throwing.

Heller (back) pitched two-thirds of an inning in a Grapefruit League contest against Toronto on Tuesday, allowing two runs on two hits and a walk while striking out one.

Heller was charged with the loss after allowing a leadoff walk followed by a home run in the ninth inning. Despite the rough debut, the right-hander's presence on the mound was a positive indication that the back injury that had been ailing him was indeed minor. Heller remains in the mix for an Opening Day bullpen role, though he'll need to have some effective outings before the end of spring training to earn his spot.

Palumbo (heel) will start Wednesday's Cactus League game against the Giants.

He'll rejoin the Rangers' spring pitching schedule for the first time since Feb. 28 after missing time due to an inflamed right heel. Palumbo looks on track to be ready to go for Opening Day, but he currently finds himself on the outside looking in for a spot in the Rangers' rotation and is most likely to begin the campaign at Triple-A Nashville.

Leclerc allowed one and one walk while striking out four over 1.1 scoreless innings in Tuesday's spring game against the White Sox.

Leclerc, who has not allowed a run this spring, has recorded 10 outs through his first three spring appearances and eight have come by strikeout. Leclerc enters the season as Texas' closer, albeit with very low job security per RotoWire's ranking of closers. That's largely due to wavering command that leads to a surfeit of walks and mislocated pitches becoming hittable.

Akin was optioned to Triple-A Norfolk on Tuesday.

The Orioles added Akin to the 40-man roster in November to protect him from the Rule 5 draft, but he was unable to secure a spot on the Opening Day roster. The 24-year-old had a 4.73 ERA, 1.52 WHIP and 131:61 K:BB over 112.1 innings with Norfolk last season, and he could make his major-league debut at some point in 2020.